Wagon end-gate.



C. J. DONAT.

WAGON END GATE.

APPLICATION FILED 00-124, 1914.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

I/A/VENTOR A TTORNE rs THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. FHOTCiITI-IO WASHINGTON. D C.

CHARLES JOHN DONA'I, 0F VERDIG-RE, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK G. MALY, OF VERDIGRE, NEBRASKA.

WAGON END-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application filed October 24, 1914. Serial No. 868,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. DONAT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Verdigre, county of Knox, State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved WVagon End-Gate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates more particularly to wagon end gates of the type in which the gate is formed of hinged sections, so as to break joint for the convenient placing and removal of the end gate.

An object of the invention is to provide an end gate of the character indicated, improved in various particulars, whereby to facilitate the manipulation of the gate and its appurtenances, and whereby to hold the gate rigidly when placed in position.

The invention will be particularly described in the specific description following.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, I

in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,

and in whic Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear of a wagon body showing my improved end gate; Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts broken away, the gate being shown with the parts in the positions assumed in placing or removing the gate. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the gate in position as in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4% is a fragmentary detail in horizontal section.

In carrying out my invention in practice, the wagon body 10 may be of any approved form, having cleats 11 at opposite sides arranged in pairs, as usual, and spaced to provide vertical guides 11 for receiving the end gate. The end gate is composed of sections 12, 13, preferably one being longer than the other, and the sections are united by any suitable hinges 14:, so that the sections may break in an outward direction. The end gate sections are provided near the top with a horizontal metallic bar composed of the sections 15, 16, corresponding with the end gate sections and hinged together as at 17. The bar is shown as disposed beneath the top strip formed of sections 12 18 secured by any suitable fasteners 12 13 Latch means is provided in connection with the respective sections 12, 13, of the end gate. At one end the latch means comprises a latch head 18 extending from and rigid with the adjacent section 16 of'the horizontal metallic bar. At the opposite end a latch 19 is provided, and pivoted to the adjacent section 12 of the end gate by a vertical pivot 20, so that the said latch may swing in a horizontal plane relatively to the end gate. The outer end of the latch 19 is made in the form of a latch head 21, of general triangular shape. The respective latches 18, 19, extend substantially to the end of the end gate to enter with the end gate in the guides 11 between the cleats 11, and'said latches extend rearwardly at their outer ends to enter the recesses 11, which are complementary to the guide-ways 11 and extend rearwardly from the latter to receive the latch heads. Adjacent to the latches I provide strengtheningplates 22 on the adjacent cleats 11, and at the outside similar plates 23 are secured to the wagon body 10.

. With the described construction, the end gate sections may be swung on their hinges 14, 17, into alinelnent with each other, as in Figs. 1 and 3, or may turn on their hinges and break in an outwarddirection to assume posltions at an angle to each other, as in Fig. 2. In the latter position the rigid latch head 18 may be entered in the adjacent guide-way 11 and the complemen tary recess 11", and may be removed therefrom by a turning movement of the end section 13. The opposite end gate section 12 may be entered in its guide-way 11", and the sections then moved on their hinges into alinement with each other. The movable latch 19 may then be swung forwardly on itspivot 20, so-that the latch head 21 will enter the adjacent recess 11 In the inner latching position of the latch 19, said latch is received in a horizontal slot 24 formed in the end gate section 12 directly beneath the metallic bar section 15. The end of the slot 24: adjacent to the terminal of the hinged end of the latch 19 is enlarged as at 25 to receive the fingers of the attendant in grasping the handle of the said latch. At the inner side of the slot 24 I provide a stop plate 26 on the end gate section 12 against which the handle of the latch 19 may contact when in the inner position.

In order to hold the end gate sections 12, 13, rigidly in alinement, and also to secure the latch 19 against accidental movement on its pivot, I provide a brace and lock bar 27. Said bar 27 is secured to one end of the gate section 13 by any suitable fasteners 28, and extends across the joint between the sections and overlaps the adjacent section 12. The said bar 27 furthermore extends sufficiently to overlie the movable latch 19 when the latter is in the inner position. In order to secure the locking bar 27 to hold the end gate sections rigid, said bar is provided at its free end with a horizontal opening 29 which is adapted to pass over a latch pin 30, which is mounted to turn in the end gate section 12, and is provided with a handle bar 31 or equivalent means to facilitate the turning of said pin 20, so that the latter may be conveniently turned after the bar 27 has passed there-over. The handle bar 14; will thus hold the locking bar against movement relatively to the section 12, and prevent relative movement of the sections 12 13.

llaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An end gate composed of sections hinged together to swing relatively to each other in a horizontal plane, each of said sections terminating in a rigid cleat-engaging end to enter between the usual wagon cleats, the rigid outer end of one section having a latch member rigid therewith to engage a wagon cleat, and the rigid, cleat-engaging end of the other section having a latch positioned thereon to enter with said end between the wagon cleats and pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane relatively to the said rigid cleat-engaging end of the last mentioned section.

2. An end gate composed of sections hinged together to swing relatively to each other in a horizontal plane, ach of said sections terminating in ri id, cleat-engaging outer ends to enter between the usual wagon cleats, and latches on the said rigid cleat-engaging ends of the respective sections to enter with the said rigid ends between the said cleats, the said latches having rearwardly extending heads, one of the latches being rigid with the adjacent end gate section and the other latch being pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane relatively to the rigid cleatengaging end of the adjacent section and adapted, when in the inner position, to lie substantially in the vertical plane of said section.

3. An end gate composed of sections hinged together to swing relatively to each other in a horizontal plane, each of said sections terminating in a rigid cleat-engaging end to enter between the usual wagon cleats, the rigid outer end of one section having a latch member rigid therewith to engage a wagon cleat, and the ri id, cleatengaging end of the other section having a latch positioned thereon to enter with said end between the wagon cleats, and pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane relatively to the said rigid cleat-engaging end of the last mentioned section, and a locking element rigid with one of the end gate sections and overlapping the companion section, the free end of the said element extending over the said pivoted latch, and means to hold the said element in position against the said pivoted latch.

a. A wagon end gate composed of sections hinged to swing relatively to each other, a metallic bar secured to said sections and itself formed of sections hinged to swing with the end gate sections, a latch member rigid with the bar section of one end gate section, and a latch pivoted to the other end gate section adjacent to the bar section thereof and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane.

5. An end gate comprising sections hinged to swing relatively to each other, a latch rigid with one end section at the end thereof and adapted to engage the adjacent end of a wagon body, and a latch pivoted to the other end gate section at the outer end thereof to engage a wagon body, the end gate section to which the latch is pivoted being pro vided with a horizontal slot for receiving the pivoted latch when the latter is in the latching position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARLES JOHN DONAT. Witnesses:

FRED SoUDEz, E. H. SOUBA.

Copies of" this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

